Power unit



19, 1965 E. R. BARNETT ETAL 3,

POWER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1962 EUGENE R. BARNETT andWILLARD L. BARNETT ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1965 E. R. BARNETT ETAL 3,166,055

POWER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1962 on. PUMP Fig. 4

EUGENE R. BARNETT and WILLARD L.BARNETT INVENTORS BY W ATTORNEYvent-port 68.

. lesser density of air at higherfaltitudes. 1

disc 60, which governs the effective bias of spring 58,

is itself governed byithe stem 62-of an adjustment screw ,64 shown asthreadedlynengaging the head 66 of valvehousing llflr The head 66 isshown asi vented as by Accordingly, the fuel-air charge, emergingfrorrit pasa sageway 28 to the controlflcylinder' provided byvalvehousing 30, is permitted to pass through valve 32 (to the explosionarea ofv cylinder-portion 14), until the upward travel of smallerpiston-portion 18 past exhaust the invention is not limitedto thespecific form or arrangement of parts herein described or shown. aMoreover, terms and expressions of the description and claims are to bebroadly construed. For example,

the term -fuel-air is to be interpreted to refer to any component orcomponents of the combustible charge, 'liere contemplating both fuel-airmixtures as by a carburetor, orfuel injection types; ignition meansis-tobe interpreted as including diiferent types such as sparlt plugs;glowqalugs, and the like, or pressure-caused 1gn1- tion, or. automaticignition by fuel injection; and terms like head, tp,. upstroke,. and thelike-are used port 40, together with :the upward travel ofIlargerpiston- V portion 20, causes pressure of fuel-air ,to increase'to thevalue as'fdetermined by control screw 64. At this pressure, fuel-airpressure on valve-housing plunger 54 overcomes. the Ibiasjofvalve-spring 58, to close valve 32 againstits valve seat 52.

Total: pre-ignition compression by the upward travel of piston 18 aftervalve-closure,

remainder of 'the', compression stroke. And with adjustthus relativelyincreasing tota l 'pres'sure' etfected'by upratio, may be 'eifectedwhilesthe 'engine is operating;

means maybe psed; for example," with aircraft, biasing means :could bealtitude-responsive so as to delay valveclosure and Primarily for use indiesel or other fuel-injection l ii ation s, there is. provided inpassage. 28' an adjustable pressure relief valve 70. This valve 70 wouldlie-adjusted to relieve 'pressure firom the compressing 'side of the V"supplypiston 20, but at a value exceeding the pressure-.

valuewhich-hasclo'sed valve 32, toreduce ene'rgyrequirements infurthen'compressing the unused no tion; of the airavailable inpassage28f: '7 t a 5 A power unit. according 'to this mentprovidesa novelengine having "many advantages,'.,.. vv' hether 'used 'singly or inmultiple units, whetherlused' with fuelairmixture from' an associatedcarburetor, or"

*in a fuel injection manner, andiwhe therius ed ina singleactingoradoubleacting arrangements-:11 t

Advantages of both atwowycleengi'ne and a four-cycle, f

: apowencylinder having.apower'piston;

a fuel-air supplyj'cylinde'r having a supplypiston; i the said cylindersbeing adjacentfand' co -axiallyxdis "chamber compression.

Accordingly, it will thus be, s'een' froni the 't oregoing descriptionof the invention according to this illustrative;

embodiment, considered With the accompanying dravv istics, andaccomplishing .its intended. objects, including those ;hereinbeforepoint'ed out. and others i which I are inherentgin theinvention,

1 pressure, accordingly, is regulatedlby the adjustment-of,valve-housin'g screw 64 for. with relatively littlev spring bias, thevalve 32 will be forced closedirelatively early during piston upstroke,reducing'total pressure thereafter 'to beflobtain'ed a by preventing theentrance of much of the fuel-air charge V availableto 'be admitted forfurther compressionin the H 1 larger diameter, operativelymatiug Wardpiston-travel after valve-closure; Such adjustment A p v of compressionpressure,'eifectively changing compression means providing anentrancechamber for Although this compression-adjustment, by varyingthef i ,timeof valve closure, is illustrated as by a'manual adjustl-{ment of screw 64 to regulate-bias of spring 58, it is t contemplatedthat other means for. regulation of biasing 4 thusfadmit more charge, toaccount ,for the' i1liisir tiv fembodi ings; that the present inventionprovides a new and'us eful power means', having desiredadvantages andcharacter h J to, p 7 r th s pp y yli der an e-p wcrp ston.p o i n -aannular fuel-galr chamber between.the power-cylinder I Itwill b eunde'rstoodltha t modifications and v ariations maybe effected withoutdeparting fromthe scope ofthe novclhconcepts ofthe present invention;accordingly,

. uppstnlimit vo a to avoid'repetition. of alternatives, and it is notimplied arrangement shown.

We claim as our invention: 1. An engine means, comprising:

a stepped cylinderhaving- 'concentrically aligned axially spacedportionsof. relatively smaller and relatively" larger diameter;

a stepped piston having-concentrically aligned axially v o. spacedportions. of relatively -srnallerand relatively with correspondl ingportions of the cylinder; v

x 'the piston being movable the cylinder between o ,a .top-dead-centerposition and a bottom-dead-centerx position; 1 1 I o I a head for saidsmaller-diameter cylinder-portion,and

.- located thereon to provide clearance volume'between said head andsaid smallerpiston-portion when in [o -.top-dead-center position; 7

means communicating fuel-air to' said larger cylinder- 7 portion abovejsaidllargerpiston-portion to admit fu'el-air-to saidlargercylinder-portion during downstroke ofsaid larger piston portion;

. centsaid head; i.

meansf providing a passage leading'jfroni said larger i 1cylinder-portion ioocommunicate fuel-air therefrom, a

during-upstroke of said larger vpis:ton-'portiongto said f entrancechamber; M

i t jsmfller cylinderportion when.said valve-isopen; A

screw :mea'ns forifadjusting; the t;

meansgand operative ;inconjuncnomwith said pres i.suresjforregulating-the time'fl of closure of said'valve H ignitionpressure w and thus I116 V i the said smaller cylinder-portion beingprovided Q posed; V 4 the power pistomhavin'g a .top -tdead-centerposition in which, it s generally disposedi within. said power y nderand a bottomfdje ad-center position in which ,7

ita S g ner lly disposed in'said supply cylinder; 5

Sa Pos t s;

' means operatively connecting jsaid pistons for -co- 'ordinatedmovement; I v

fuel airadja-i said biasing; means a: fil gen, n and V I which :isopen-toandloperativelyafiected bypres sure 'of fuel-air-in.said;.entrance chamber and. in said of sail-b si with exhaust 'portmeansv-operativelyjadjacentilthe lower.

l er-pi nr ion whe in 1 tlie power piston being reciprocably movablebetween and the supply piston within the supply cylinder;

' means admitting fuel-air to said annular fuel-air chamber of thesupply cylinder during the power stroke of said-power piston; t

means communicatingsaid annular; fuel-air'supply chamber and said powercylinder;

said communicating means during the return stroke of said power piston;

a valve means regulating entranceof fuel-air from said f I 1.,510"blflslhg' means ,biasmg said valve means to open posh"communicatingmeans to said power cylinder;

piston to aclneve' forced exhausting of burnt fuela air from said powercylinder. 3. An engine means, comprising: 7 a power cylinder having apower piston; a fuel-air supply cylinder having a supply'piston;

the said' cylinders being adjacent and co-ai ially disposed; V p 1 thepower piston having a top-dead-center position inf a which it isgenerally disposed within said power cylinder and a bottom-dead-centerposition in which it is generally disposed in said supply cylinder; 7the power piston beingreciprocably movable between said positions; i

the supply cylinder and the power piston providing a I V fuel-airchamber between the power cylinder and the supply piston and withinthesupply'cylinder; means operatively. connecting said pistons forcoordinated movement;

means admitting fuel-air to. said supply cylinder during the powerstroke of said power piston; a

means communicating said supply cylinder andasaid l 7 power cylinder;

the supply piston being operative to force fuel-air intio saidcommunicating means during the returnstroke of said power piston;

a valve means'regulating' entrance of fuel-air from said i acommunicating means to said power cylinder;

biasing means biasing said valve means to open posimeans actuated byfuel-air pressure to close saidi yalve pqeans against the bias of saidbiasing means-1 4Q An engine means; comprising;

a power cylinder having a power piston:

a a fuel-airgjsupply cylinder-having; a upply means ffofr admittingfuel-air to said supply cylinder;

means; communicating. said supply cylinder and said j a Pcwer tcylindenI the supply 'piston' being operativejto' force fuel-air into saidcommunicating means;

a "valve means regulating entrance of-i'uel-air' from i saidcommunicating means tosaid power; cylinderj f I biasing. means biasingsaid valve means to :openposition; and i 9. In-an internal combustionengine: I

Piston; 1 apower cylinder;

means actuated byVfuel-air pressure to close said valve meansagainst thebiasingof said biasing means. 1

5. In an'internal combustion engine haying a powercylinder:

fuel-air control means for; controlling supply I of fuel-air to saidcylinden comprisingz a valve meansregulating flow of fuel into-saidcylinder; biasing means biasing said valve meansto open po-' sition; e

means actuated by fuel-air pressure to} close said valve 7 said biasingmeans including a spring;

saidl fuel-airactuatedu means including a pressure-re means against thebias of. said biasing means;

. sponsive plungeri-meansragajnst which biasing spring operativelybears;and

screw means adjusting the bias fuel-air control means for controllingthe supply of fuel-lair to said cylinder; comprising; i i

a valve means regulating flowoffuel into said j cylinder; a biasingmeans biasing said valve means-t0 open .posi-' tion; and I means againstthe bias of said biasing means; saidbiasing means includingaspringr V vsaid' fuel-air-actuated means including a Pressure-re sponsive plungermeans against which said biasing spring operatively'bears opposing saidfuelair pres- 7. 'Inan internal combustion enginev having a powercylinder, and a power piston,

means for regulating: pre-ignition total, compression inthepowercylinder, comprising: Y .a valve means;

means biasing said valve means to open position; 3

'meansfor olosingfsaid'valve means in response to a v selected amount ofreturn-stroke pressure in said a power cylinder to limit the pressure off uel air charge, in'said powerfcylinder at'valve closure and therebyregulate total; pre-ignition'pressure developed bythe remainingreturn-travel of a said piston in said c yli inder; I a j a saidvalve-closing means including a (control cylinder 7 having va controlpiston exposed td power cylinder a a pressure while said valve is open,meanso'peratively linking said control piston with said valve, and meansbiasing said control "piston to 'valve-openffposition until thereturn-stroke pressure issuflicient when acting against control pistonto overcome'said bias and' 1 I a close. said valve.

, i 8. In an internal -.combi1sti'on engine having a power fmeansfor'regulatingp, -gnition total compression in thepowercylinder;"comprising? 3 avalve means;- 1

,means' biasingsaid valve means jjtojopeniposition; and a J response toa' means for cldsin'g'said wvalve rne selected amount; of return 'strokpower cylinder to limit the pressure of fue air charge;

" ,in' said vpower cylinder at valve-closur an thereby remainingreturn-travelof saidpiston inj saijd ylinder ,a power piston carried a sI v tively movable thereintd'achi'eve ygfofivvtri$4 v means admittingatuel-aiii charge to the power variable-pressure" means for" deliveringfuel-air a jpressure to'said admitting 'means;

' rnean'sv exhausting burnt charge tromthecy inderfand r I means forclosing 'saidmdrnitting means atraiselected stage of. 'piston -travel toregulate pre-ignition pressure in-said cylindery I saidclosingmeansbeing responsivetoand; actuatable byfarselected amount of.pres'sureot saidrvarfiablepressure means ;:5* 2 a 10. In an'internalcombustion engine;

apowerc'ylinderj" y a power piston carried in tively movable therein toachieve power; means admitting a fuel 'inder; Y

- t insaid'c'ylinde'r;

of said biasing spring. 6.In an internal cornbustion zenginehavin'giapower a Cylinder: l the supply piston being operative to forcefueleair into' 1 means actuated" by fuel airpr'essure to close saidvalve regulate total'preaignition p ssure de' eleped by the I the: powercylinder andrela-f t H jcharge to thepower cyll-"f 7 i 8 said dosingmeans being responsive to and actuatable her means to elieve pressuretherein after said adby the amount of pressure ini'saidicylinder' i I jniitflng means'is closed. a V a a a x .11, An internai enginecomprising;w i' 1 L apqwercylindr; w R eferences Cited in the file of this patent na power piston carrieainthejiaovver cylii'idei and' rela- 5 TESTATESVPATENTS 7 tivelvmovable therein to achieve power; V r V a meansprovidingapressure chamber; v L .l I 2 s 1 g: m s-su p yi under p u to dc a r Lngarg 1914 means? f. 7 1 71,497,206" 'Bo'oten June 10, 1924 meansadmitting a charge of an" under pressure'to said 10 1 525956 Sargent a 71925 rcylinder fi'om said chamber means; u

means closing said admitting means,',inc1udinga movable memberresponsive to pressure in said chamber 7 FOREIGN PATENTS means to closesaidadmitting means but having ad- 7 justable means biasing; the saidmovable .means 945,254 France Nov. 22, 1948 against closure of'theadmitting means; and 2,595 Great Britain Feb. 2, 1904 pressure reliefmeans operatively opening tosaid cham- 120,480 'Great Britain Nov. 14,1918 2,183,116 Coates Dec112 1937 405,561 France Apr. 17,i920

1. AN ENGINE MEANS, COMPRISING: A STEPPED CYLINDER HAVING CONCENTRICALLYALIGNED AXIALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF RELATIVELY SMALLER AND RELATIVELYLARGER DIAMETER; A STEPPED PISTON HAVING CONCENTRICALLY ALIGNED AXIALLYSPACED PORTIONS OF RELATIVELY SMALLER AND RELATIVELY LARGER DIAMETER,OPERATIVELY MATING WITH CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF THE CYLINDER; THEPISTON BEING MOVABLE WITHIN THE CYLINDER BETWEEN A TOP-DEAD-CENTERPOSITION AND A BOTTOM-DEAD-CENTER POSITION; A HEAD FOR SAIDSMALLER-DIAMETER CYLINDER-PORTION, AND LOCATED THEREON TO PROVIDECLEARANCE VOLUME BETWEEN SAID HEAD AND SAID SMALLER PISTON-PORTION WHENIN TOP-DEAD-CENTER POSITION; MEANS COMMUNICATING FUEL-AIR TO SAID LARGERCYLINDERPORTION ABOVE SAID LARGER PISTON-PORTION TO ADMIT FUEL-AIR TOSAID LARGER CYLINDER-PORTION DURING DOWNSTROKE OF SAID LARGERPISTON-PORTION; MEANS PROVIDING AN ENTRANCE CHAMBER FOR FUEL-AIRADJACENT SAID HEAD; MEANS PROVIDING A PASSAGE LEADING FROM SAID LARGERCYLINDER-PORTION TO COMMUNICATE FUEL-AIR THEREFROM, DURING UPSTROKE OFSAID LARGER PISTON-PORTION, TO SAID ENTRANCE CHAMBER; VALVE MEANS FORADMITTING FUEL-AIR FROM SAID ENTRANCE CHAMBER INTO SAID SMALLERCYLINDER-PORTION; BIASING MEANS FOR BIASING SAID VALVE TO VALVE-OPENPOSITION; SAID BIASING MEANS INCLUDING A PLUNGER ONE END OF WHICH ISOPEN TO AND OPERATIVELY EFFECTED BY PRESSURE OF FUEL-AIR IN SAIDENTRANCE CHAMBER AND IN SAID SMALLER CYLINDER-PORTION WHEN SAID VALVE ISOPEN; SCREW MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS ANDOPERATIVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID PRESSURES FOR REGULATING THE TIME OFCLOSURE OF SAID VALVE AND THUS THE TOTAL PRE-IGNITION PRESSURE WITHINSAID SMALLER CYLINDER-PORTION; AND THE SAID CYLINDER-PORTION BEINGPROVIDED WITH EXHAUST PORT MEANS OPERATIVELY ADJACENT THE LOWER END OFSAID SMALLER CYLINDER-PORTION BUT ABOVE THE UPPER LIMIT OF SAID SMALLERPISTON-PORTION WHEN IN BOTTOM-DEAD-CENTER POSITION.